Bards & Brews Poetry Event

Birmingham Public Library’s (BPL) popular Bards & Brews poetry performance/beer tasting series will travel to the amphitheater at Avondale Park on Friday, May 3, 2013. Usually held the first Friday of each month, the May 3 Bards & Brews will be a fundraiser for BPL’s Teen Poetry Initiative. The festivities start at 6:30 p.m. with live music, and poetry performances start at 7:00. In case of inclement weather, the event moves inside to the Avondale Regional Library located at 509 40th St. S. The program is free and open to the public.

Craft beer will be available for sampling courtesy of Avondale Brewing Company, and light refreshments will be served. Attendees must be 18 years or older to be admitted, and 21 years or older to be served. IDs will be checked.

Barry Marks, current president of the Alabama State Poetry Society, will serve as co-host along with our usual emcee Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins. Marks, 1998 Alabama Poet of the Year, is encouraging fellow poets to donate two books of poetry each. Proceeds from sales of the donated books will go toward the teen poetry initiative. Featured poets include Andrew Glaze, Alabama Poet Laureate, Robert Collins, former director of creative writing at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, and Irene Latham, award-winning poet and children’s book author. The poets will read selections from their books.

The line-up also includes powerful performances by area spoken word artists and past winners of the WORD UP! Student Poetry Slam.

Your contributions will help send a team of talented teens to the Brave New Voices international poetry competition in Chicago this August and also fund a year’s worth of poetry workshops and other poetry-focused activities led by the Real Life Poets.

Bards & Brews is usually held on the first Friday of the month at various locations around town. Look for us on June 7, 2013 at the North Birmingham Regional Library located at 2501 31st Avenue North. Check out the Bards & Brews page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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